Material handling apparatus and loadengaging elements therefor



June 16, 1959 R. w. PARCELL 2,890,807

MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS AND LOAD-ENGAGING ELEMENTS THEREFOR Filed Feb. 6, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 il L) IN VEN TOR. v Rassen m mme-L June 16, 1959 R. W. PARCELL 2,890,807

MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS AND LoAD-ENGAGING ELEMENTS THEREFOR Filed Feb. e, 195e i y 2 sheets-sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

RUSSELL W PARCS LL A 7' TOR/VE' Y United States Patent O MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS AND LOAD- ENGAGING ELEMENTS THEREFOR Russell W. Parcell, Solon, Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Otis Elevator Company, New York, NX., a corporation of New Jersey Application February 6, 1956, Serial No. 563,757

6 Claims. (Cl. 214-653) The present invention relates to material handling apparatus, especially industrial trucks, and the loadengaging elements thereof.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved material handling apparatus, particularly an industrial truck, having spaced load-engaging clamp members supported for movement toward and away from each other and so constructed and arranged that the apparatus is capable of eiciently handling a load comprised of a single item or a stacked load of paper bundles, boxes, or similar crushable loads, even though the individual items, or the stacking thereof are not entirely uniform.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved industrial truck or similar material handling apparatus, having load-engaging elements which are relatively movable toward and away from each other and are particularly adapted to engage the side of a crushable load, such as paper boxes or paper bundles, arranged in a stack, even though the individual items or the stack itself are not exactly uniform, the loadengaging elements also being adapted to handle a load comprised of a single item such as a relatively large roll of paper and at least one of the elements having a loadengaging face of relatively soft material which provides good frictional contact between the loadl and the loadengaging element.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a material handling apparatus including a load-engaging element having a face for engaging the load which is comprised of a plurality of sections arranged one above the other and each supported for limited self-aligning movement about an axis intermediate their ends.

The invention resides in certain constructions and combinations and arrangements of parts, and further objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates from the following description of the preferred embodiment described with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of an industrial truck embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the industrial truck of Fig. l with the open extreme position of the load-engaging elements being shown in dot-dash lines.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view of the front of the truck of Fig. l with the load carrier shown in cross-section.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken approximately along line 4-4 of Fig. l, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the load-engaging element of the truck of Fig. 1.

Although the present invention is susceptible of various modifications and of embodiment in various types of material handling apparatus, the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings comprises an industrial lift truck having an elevatable load carriage supported on the front end thereof.

ECC

Referring to the drawings, the industrial lift truck shown comprises a chassis A supported on front and rear wheels 11. The front wheels are preferably driven by suitable means, such as an electric motor, and the rear wheels are preferably dirigibly connected to the chassis so as to be directable by a steering wheel 12 supported on the chassis adjacent to the operators position.

The chassis A has a vertically extending mast assembly B mounted on the front end thereof for limited tilting movement about a horizontal axis upon the operation of a hydraulic cylinder 13. The mast assembly B is of conventional construction and will not, therefore, be described in detail. Suice it to say that the assembly comprises, in the illustrated embodiment, upright laterally spaced primary guides 14 of channel shape, secondary guides 15, also channel shaped and adapted to telescope, respectively, into [the primary guides 14 and joined by a crosshead 16, an elevatable carriage C movable vertically 'with respect to the guides and having rollers 17 adapted to operate in the channels of the secondary guides, and a vertical hydraulic cylinder assembly D operable to raise and lower the elevatable carriage C relative to the secondary guides 15 through chains 20 connected to a movable member of the cylinder assembly. After a predetermined elevational movement of the carriage C relative to the secondary guides, the cylinder assembly also operates to raise both the secondary guides and the carriage relative to the primary guides 14. Since the mast assembly per se for supporting and elevating the load carriage C forms no pant of the present invention, it may be of any conventional construction and it is to be understood that other elevating means may be substituted for that shown.

The load carriage C includes, in addition to the rollers 17, a transverse frame 22 having plates 23, only one of which is shown in the drawings, extending rearwardly therefrom for supporting the rollers 17. The frame 22 of the carriage supports a load carrier 25 which comprises a pair `of clamp elements 26, 27 supported for movement toward, and away from each other by a transverse frame 28, the frame 28 being connected to the frame 22 and supported generally parallel thereto. The clamp members 26, 27 are supported and guided on .the frame 28 by two upper horizontal cylindrical guides 30, 31, and two lower horizontal cylindrical `guides 32, 33. The clamp element 26 is carried by two rods 34, 35 which operate, respectively, in the upper cylindrical guide 30 and the lower cylindrical guide 32 and is movable between a rst position inside the left-hand end side edge of the frame 28 as viewed in the drawings and an extreme open position outwardly thereof by the operation of uid pressure motor means comprising a hydraulic motor or cylinder 37. The cylinder 37 is fixed at one end to the frame 28 adjacent to the right-hand side thereof and has a piston rod 38 extending outwardly through the other end thereof. The piston rod 38 is connected to the clamp element 26 at the outer end of the piston rod.

The clamp element 27 is similarly carried by a pair of rods 40, 41 which operate in the cylindrical guides 31, 33, respectively, and is moved between a position inwardly of the right-hand side of the frame 28 and an extreme open position outwardly thereof by fluid pressure means comprising a cylinder 4Z. The cylinder 42 is connected at its left-hand end to the frame 28 adjacent the lefthand side thereof, as viewed in the drawings, and has a piston rod 43 extending outwardly from its other end, the outer end of the piston rod being connected to the clamp element 27.

Pressure uid is supplied to the hydraulic cylinders w37, 42, which are preferably double acting cylinders, from a lluid under pressure supply and discharge system on the chassis of the industrial truck. Connections between the pressure uid system on the truck chassis and the hydraulic cylinders 37, 42 are made through a plurality of exible conduits 44 which are trained over pairs of spaced sheaves 45, 46 mounted on the crosshead 16 of the mast assembly and the primary guides 14, respectively. The supply of pressure fluid to the cylinders 37, 42, and their connection to the exhaust or discharge system, is preferably controlled by an individual valve for each cylinder positioned in a convenient location on the truck.

The clamp element 26, preferably comprises a support or base member 47 to which the support rods 34, 35 and the piston rod 38 are connected, and a clamp arm 48 detachably connected to the support member 47 by a plurality of bolm 50. The clamp arm 48 comprises a frame in the form of an outer or back plate 52 disposed in a vertical plane and welded, or otherwise fixed, along its inner vertical edges to a transverse plate 53 through which the bolts 50 pass to connect the clamp arm 48 to the support member 47. The back plate 52 is provided with cutout portions 54 to permit ready access to the bolts 50. The height of the back plate 52 is preferably sucient to enable the clamp element 26 to engage a relatively tall load throughout its vertical height.

For engaging the load to `be handled, such as a pile of stacked paper bundles, the clamp arm 48 is provided with an inner face preferably divided horizontally into three sections 55, 56, 57 one above the other, each pivoted independently of the others for movement about a vertical axis. Each section of the inside face of the clamp arm 48 is of substantially the same construction and comprises a clamp plate S positioned inwardly of the back plate 52 and having a facing layer or pad 60 preferably of relatively soft yieldable material fixed to one side thereof and forming the face of the section for engaging the load. The pad 60 may be formed of a rubber-like material and is substantially coextensive with the side of clamp plate 58 to which it is fastened, the plate 58y being of approximately the same horizontal length as the back plate 52.

To support the sections 55, 56, 57, they are each provided with upper, intermediate, and lower horizontal ribs 62, 63, 64, respectively, which extend the horizontal length of the respective sections. The ribs extend outwardly from the inner side of the clamp plate 58 toward the back plate 52 and have aligned openings therein adjacent the midpoint of their length for passing a vertical bar 66. The vertical bar 66 also passes through horizontally spaced ribs 67 Welded to the inner side of the back plate 52 and extending outwardly therefrom in overlapping relationship with the ribs 62-64 on the clamp plates 58. The ribs 67 have holes for passing the bar 66 aligned with the holes in the ribs 62-64. The -back plate 52 has a rib 67 immediately below each intermediate rib 63 and one intermediate the sections 55, 56, and one intermediate the sections 56, 57. The ribs intermediate the sections 56, 57 and the sections 55, 56 have blocks 70 above and below the respective ribs to engage the adjacent ribs on thel adjacent sections. Similarly, the upper rib 62 of the clamp plate 58 of the upper section 57 is positioned immediately above the support rib 67 on the back plate 52 and is spaced therefrom by a collar 7-1. A cotter pin passes through the upper end of the bar 66 and engages a collar or washer 72 resting on the rib 62 of the upper section 57. Similarly, the intermediate ribs 63 of the camp plates 58 are spaced from the adjacent support rib 67 by a collar or washer 73.

The above-described construction permits limited individual pivotal movement of each sectionV 55, 56, 57 about the vertical bar 66 and, to this' end, the width of the ribs 62-64 and of the support ribs 67, are such as not to interfere with the desired movement. Preferably,

the back plate 52 limits the movement of the arms so that only the necessary movement for self aligning is permitted and so that the clamp plates 58 and the pad 60 will remain roughly parallel to the back plate 52. The independent pivotal movement of each section permits the truck to be used for handling stacked paper bundles or stacked boxes without damaging the bundles or boxes even though the boxes are not exactly uniform or stacked to present a planar side to the clamp arm 48. While the pivotal movement of each section allows the individual sections to properly align themselves with the load, the facing layer 60 facilitates the handling of the load with a minimum danger of damage due to the pressure of the clamp arm 48 and also provides a good frictional engaging surface between the clamp plates 58 and the portion of the load engaged thereby.

The clamp element 26 has been described in considerable detail and it will be understood that the clamp arm 27 is of the same construction as the clamp element 26 but of opposite hand so that the facing layer of the clamp element 27 faces the facing layer of the clamp arm 26 and the parts of clamp element 27.

Preferably, the back plate 52 of each of the clamp arms 48 is bent inwardly at its outer end to encompass the outer ends of the sections 55-57. This permits the clamp elements 26, 27 to be used for pushing a load without damaging the load.

As shown in Fig. l, the size of the clamp arms 48 is preferably such that the clamp arm extends to the floor when the load carriage C is in a lower position and to a height such that the clamp arms will easily handle plates of stacked items.

It can now be seen that the objects heretofore enumerated and others have been accomplished and that the present invention provides a new and improved ma terial handling apparatus, particularly an industrial truck, having spaced load-engaging clamp members which are particularly suitable for handling stacked loads of individual items such as paper bundles and paper boxes, and wherein the load-engaging surface is sectionalized into a plurality of self-aligning sections and is formed of soft yieldable material so as not to damage the load and to provide a frictional surface for engaging the load, The invention is preferably embodied in au industrial truck and the load-engaging members are prefcrably movable either toward or away from each other by hydraulic cylinders which are individually controlled.

While a preferred form of the invention has been described in considerable detail, it will be apparent that the invention is not limited to the constructions shown or the uses referred to and it is my intention to cover hereby all adaptations, modifications, and changes which come within the practice of those skilled in the art to which the invention relates and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a material handling apparatus, a load carriage, a pair of load-engaging elements for engaging the vertical sides of a load, means supporting said load engaging elements on said carriage for relative movement with respect to one another, and power actuated means on said carriage for moving said elements relative to one another, one of said load engaging elements including a generally vertically extending frame member, a plurality of plate-like members disposed vertically with respect to each other and each having a generally planar surface for engaging the load, said surfaces defining the load-engaging face of said elements and being comprised of a relatively soft yieldable material, means pivotally connecting each of said plurality of plate-like members to said frame member for pivotal movement about a vertical axis intermediate the ends of the respective platelike members.

2. In a material handling apparatus, a load carriage a pair of load-engaging elements for engaging the vertical side of a load, means supporting said load e11- gaging elements on said carriage for relative movement with respect to one another, and power actuated means on said carriage for moving said elements relative to one another, one of said load engaging elements including a frame member disposed generally parallel to the side of the load to be engaged, a plurality of plate-like members disposed vertically with respect to each other and each having a pad thereon forming a generally planar surface for engaging the load, said surfaces delining the load-engaging face of said elements and said pads being comprised of `a relatively soft yieldable material, and means pivotally connecting each of said plate-like members to said frame member for individual pivotal movement about a common vertical axis intermediate the ends of the plate-like members.

3. In a material handling apparatus, a load carriage including a pair of relatively moveable load-engaging elements for engaging the vertical sides of a load, and means on said carriage for moving said elements relative to one another, one of said load-engaging elements including a plate-like frame member movably connected to said carriage and disposed generally parallel to the side of the load to be engaged, a plurality of plate-like members disposed vertically with respect to each other and each having a pad thereon providing a generally planar surface for engaging the load, said surfaces dening a horizontally sectionalized load-engaging face and said pads being comprised of a relatively soft yieldable material, means pivotally connecting each of said plate-like members to said frame member for pivotal movement about a vertical axis intermediate the ends of the plate-like members.

4. In a material handling apparatus, a load carriage including a load-engaging element for engaging a vertical side of the load to be handled, said load-engaging element including a frame member supported by said carriage, a vertical bar iixed to Ibut spaced from said frame member, a plurality of substantially vertical plate-like members vertically disposed in side by side relationship with respect to each other, means pivotally connecting said plate-like members to said bar at approximately the midpoint of their lengths for pivotal movement about the axis of said bar, said members each having a substantially vertical surface for engaging the load and forming with surfaces of the other members a sectionalized load engaging face.

5. In an industrial truck, a load carriage, spaced loadengaging elements for engaging vertical sides of the load to be handled, means mounting said elements on said carriage for relative movement toward and away from each other, power actuated means on said carriage for relatively moving said elements, at least one of said elements including a vertical frame member, a Vertical bar fixed to but spaced from said frame member, a plurality of substantially vertical plate-like members disposed vertically in side-by-side relationship with respect to each other, and means pivotally connecting said plate-like members to said bar at approximately the midpoint of their lengths for pivotal movement about the axis of said bar, said pivotal movement of said plate-like members being limited by engagement with said frame member to only that movement necessary to provide a selfaligning action whereby said plate-like members are maintained approximately parallel to said vertical frame members, said members each having a pad thereon and providing a substantially vertical sectionalized face for engaging the load and and said pads being formed of relatively soft yieldable material.

6. In a material handling apparatus, a vertically movable load carriage, a pair of load engaging elements, means supporting said load engaging elements on said carriage for relative movement towards and from one another, and power actuated means on said carriage for producing relative movement therebetween, one of said load engaging elements comprising a frame member disposed generally parallel to the side of the load to be engaged, a plurality of plate-like members disposed vertically with respect to each other and collectively providing a planar surface for engaging the load, said surface defining a horizontally sectionalized load engaging face and means connecting each of said plate-like members to said frame member for limited individual rocking movement Iabout a common vertical axis intermediate the ends of the plate-like member.

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